前立腺上皮細胞の電子顕微鏡的研究

特に抗男性ホルモン療法の影響に就いての実験的研究

抄録

Experimental studies with electron microscope were performed on the prostatic epithelial cells of rats with special reference to the effects of antiandrogenic therapy. These observations may be valuable in analysing hormonal controls of the prostatic gland and mechanisms of antiandrogenic therapy on prostatic carcinoma. Rats were divided into four groups, namely group 1 (control group), group 2 (Hexsuron group), group 3 (castration group) and group 4 (castration plus Hexsuron group). Hexsuron (4, 4′-dihydroxy-γ, δ-diphenyln-hexane) was given continuously 5 mg a day. In group 4 Hexsuron administration was started from the same day on which castration was carried out. The rats were sacrificed on the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 10th, 20th, 30th and 60th days following the experimental procedures. Specimens from the ventral gland of the prostate were taken immediately after death.
In the normal prostatic epithelium of rats there were well developed Golgi components, abundant endoplasmic reticulum and oval mitochondrias of similar size. The mitochondrias showed a regular distribution in cytoplasm and their inner structure exhibited functional changes.
The first electron-microscopic changes were observed on the 1st day following the first experimental procedures in each experimental group. After endoplasmic reticulum had begun to distend, diminition of cellular organules and atrophy of epithelial cells occurred. These changes were more rapid and more intense in groups 3 and 4 than in group 2. On the 2nd day following castration distension and collaps of the endoplasmic reticulum occurred diffuse in group 3, while the changes in group 2 were patchy on the same day. In group 4 endoplasmic reticulum showed collaps rather than distension from the first. Changes on the 20th day in group 3 were accord with that of 30th and 60th days in group 2. It was interesting that some epithelial cells in groups 3 and 4 contained abundant cellular organules in the specimens after Hexsuron administration of 60 days.
Electron-microscopic examination could reveal marked changes of cellular organules 24 hours after antiandrogenic treatment, though histological examination revealed evident changes only after 5 days. Above-mentioned findings suggest that antiandrogenic therapy damages metabolic system of intracellular organules, resulting in degenaration and destruction of the prostatic epithelium. Similarly, antiandrogenic therapy for prostatic carcinoma may act on remnant normal components of cancer cells.